


Langich

by Morgyn Leri (morgynleri)



Series: Fireside Tales [137]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Courting Customs, F/M, GFY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-04
Updated: 2014-05-04
Packaged: 2018-01-21 20:26:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1562954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgynleri/pseuds/Morgyn%20Leri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She gives Prince Einarr of Steelwind Heights a fierce smile, all teeth and danger, as she stands before his throne, flanked by Balin and Bifur.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Langich

**Author's Note:**

> Nerthus, telling Prince Einarr Skadi has left home  
> Prompt: Fierce  
> Alternate Universe: Agnu Ra Nutû
> 
> There are mouse-over translations for convenience.

Among thieves, she is Bronze, she is Gold, she is Silver. Some call her Mithril, but they're flattering bastards looking for a scapegoat.

Among the slightly-less-than-honest folk who are looking to avoid tariffs and other fees for goods that have a slim enough profit margin, she's River. There are fewer among those that are foolish enough to use her to escape their own fates.

Among the princes of the mountains of Harad, the lords of the Labam'abbad and the Baraz'abbad, she is Ruby, the greatest procurer of everything. She brings them almost anything they ask - only flesh is forbidden, for she will not trade in people.

Only in Erebor is she Nerthus. Only in Erebor is she a craftswoman with an honest trade. Only in Erebor is she trusted.

She gives Prince Einarr of Steelwind Heights a fierce smile, all teeth and danger, as she stands before his throne, flanked by Balin and Bifur. They who know her name, and who know they are never to use it here. Here, she is Ruby, she is River, she is Bronze, but she is not Nerthus.

"Your daughter is under the sword, of her choosing and desire." They are words she has heard before, more often among the lower-ranked of the south, Khazâd or Men, but they may be spoken to any father of any daughter. "I stood to witness."

Einarr's expression had already been harsh and stoney, and now is akin to carven granite. Nerthus does not envy Fíli and Skadi their flight, or those who will follow, intent on preventing them from reaching the safety that lies across the Poros in Gondor. Meager as it may be, there they have allies who will give them aid and succor.

Raising her chin slightly, Nerthus does not look away, daring him to challenge her words. She can hear the whispers in the court behind and around her, but ignores them for the most part. None have the sound of danger to her and hers, not yet. And if they do, her companions are as good at listening for the sounds of danger, even if they aren't at all used to the sort of constant danger that are the courts of Harad, Khuzdul and Mannish.

**Author's Note:**

> The title means "ruby", and is not drawn from the Neo-Khuzdul dictionary done by The Dwarrow Scholar, as there is no word listed for it. To come up with the word, I went looking at the chemical make-up of ruby to find consonants, and then for vowels that would work.
> 
> Al2O3 is the mineral corundum, and ruby gets its red color from the presence of chromium. (Sapphire is also corundum, but with different impurities.)
> 
> "L" from aluminum, "NG" from oxygen, and "CH" from chromium. "A" from aluminum as well, and "I" because it worked, which when arranged as CVCVC became langich.
> 
> Translations in text:
> 
> Labam'abbad = White Mountains (Ered Nimrais)  
> Baraz'abbad = Red Mountains (Orocarni)  
> khazâd = dwarves
> 
> (Minor updates to the in-text khuzdul for the new dictionary, but not updating the title.)


End file.
